7 Places to Find Free Ebooks Right Now

With more time on your hands on your Netflix queue growing leaner by the day, you might be looking for more ways to pass the time. Reading ebooks provides an escape from reality while giving your brain a workout. You can read ebooks on your computer, phone, tablet, or e-reader from the comfort of your couch, bed, or office. And perhaps best of all, you can access thousands of great works without spending a dime. Here are seven of our favorite places to find free ebooks.

Your Local Library

Many libraries have digital collections. Since public libraries usually have diverse works, you may find ebooks from virtually any genre. For most libraries, all you need is your handy library card to enjoy ebooks for free.

Project Gutenberg

Project Gutenberg has over 60,000 free ebooks. Most of these are in the public domain, which means their copyright has expired. Therefore, many of these books are older, but they are classics for a reason. While there are tons of options in English, you can also find works in other languages.

Here are a few of our favorite picks:

• “The Works of Edgar Allan Poe, The Raven Edition” by Edgar Allan Poe
• “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen
• “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes” by Arthur Conan Doyle

Amazon

Amazon may be your go-to destination for buying ebooks, but there are also tons of free options to choose from. The easiest way to peruse your options is by checking out Amazon’s list of the top 100 free ebooks. These popular picks are largely romance novels, but you’ll also find mystery, nonfiction, and more.

Here are a few ebooks we can’t wait to read:

• “The Lost Letter: A Victorian Romance” by Mimi Matthews
• “Instant Pot Cookbook: The Ultimate Guide Plus 101 Delicious Recipes” by Monet Chapin
• “That Bear Ate My Pants: A Comedy Memoir… with Teeth and Claws!” by Tony James Slater

Smashwords

Smashwords is an indie ebook distributor. While there are hundreds of thousands of books available for purchase, there are also over 80,000 free options. Works span pretty much all genres, so you can pick a book based on your mood.

Here are some ebooks that we think look good:

• “The Sacred Bombshell Handbook of Self-Love” by Abiola Abrams
• “1492 and All That: A Fool’s History of the USA” by Richard Minadeo
• “Neanderthal Seeks Human: A Smart Romance” by Penny Reid

ManyBooks

ManyBooks has over 50,000 free ebooks neatly categorized by genre. There’s a combination of classics and contemporary works, so there’s something for nearly any reader.

These books made our reading lists:

• “Little Women” by Louisa May Alcott
• “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare” by William Shakespeare
• “The Frights of Fiji” by Sunayna Prasad

Open Library

Open Library is aiming to have an open library catalog with a page for every book. While they’re not quite there yet, there are already thousands of books you can borrow for free, including textbooks, thrillers, romance novels, children’s books, and more. You can find both classics and contemporary works on the site.

Here are a few options we like:

• “1984” by George Orwell
• “The Land of Stories” by Chris Colfer
• “IT” by Stephen King

Kobo

Kobo is Rakuten’s site for ebooks and audiobooks. While there are millions of ebooks available for purchase, there’s also a nice selection of free ebooks. The selection includes romance, thrillers, science fiction, and children’s books.

These titles piqued our interest:

• “The Magic Factory” by Morgan Rice
• “A Cozy Mystery Sampler” by Lorraine Bartlett
• “BASE Status: Online” by E. Engberts

Prices are subject to change, so if you find a free ebook you’re interested in, you may want to download it right away.

What’s the best book you’ve read during quarantine? Share your favorites in the comments section below!